80 years since the brigade movement to be marked in Dimitrovgrad

August 5, 2026, marks 80 years since the establishment of the brigade movement in Bulgaria. To mark the occasion, an initiative committee is organizing an official celebration in the city of Dimitrovgrad, where commanders of district and municipal brigade headquarters, representatives of national and local brigades, as well as economic figures are expected to gather.

The brigade movement remains a unique social phenomenon in the country's modern history. For decades, hundreds of thousands of young people participated voluntarily in the construction of key infrastructure sites – roads, railway lines, dams, industrial plants, and energy facilities. They also took part in archaeological excavations, agricultural activities, rose picking, and even initiatives related to tourism.

Despite the conflicting assessments of this period, many people who are now over 50–55 years old hold strong and emotional memories of their participation in summer and autumn youth brigades, which supported the Bulgarian economy. In the years between 1946 and 1989, the brigade movement was an inspiration for a number of Bulgarian poets and writers. After 1975, it also became a meeting place for young people and popular pop music performers, who often visited the camps and festivals.

The movement began on August 5, 1946, in the area of Hainboaz – today's Republic Pass. In the context of the geopolitical situation at the time, this pass had significant defensive importance. Its successful construction through voluntary labor laid the foundations for the mass participation of youth in the construction of strategic facilities.

In the following years, a number of significant projects were realized: the "Koprinka" dam was built – a long-standing dream of farmers from the Tundzha river valley since the 1920s – as well as the "Al. Stamboliyski" dam. The Lovech – Troyan railway line was constructed as part of an ambitious project to connect Northern and Southern Bulgaria via a tunnel under the Stara Planina mountains. Other railway lines, such as Pernik – Voluyak and Samuil – Silistra, as well as numerous roads and industrial sites, were created through brigade labor. The culmination of this first romantic period was the construction of Dimitrovgrad.

After 1953, the movement gradually lost its original momentum, with only individual local initiatives remaining. With the industrialization of rural areas, many young people found permanent employment. In the early 1960s, however, a serious shortage of labor in agriculture was felt, which led to the mass involvement of pupils and students in harvest collection campaigns.

This activity expanded and after 1965 acquired an organized character, forming the second stage of the brigade movement. About 13,000 students participated in rose picking alone, and during the summer months, up to 200,000 young people from secondary and higher schools worked in the fields. The assistance during the autumn campaigns was particularly significant. The total temporary labor reached up to 390,000 man-months, which is equivalent to over 32,000 permanent jobs.

After the political changes in 1989, the opening of borders, the transition to a market economy, and the mechanization of agriculture, the need for this type of temporary workforce decreased significantly. Where it remains necessary, it is provided on a market basis, including through the hiring of workers from abroad.

PROGRAM
"80 years of organized brigade movement in Bulgaria"
August 5, 2026, Dimitrovgrad

Arrival and accommodation of participants and guests. Each participant organizes and covers their own travel, reservation, and stay expenses.

14:00 – 16:00 Visits to landmarks in Dimitrovgrad:
1. "Penyu Penev" House-Museum, where the longest love letter in Bulgarian epistolary literature is kept;
2. Dimitrovgrad Historical Museum with the only museum of the brigade movement in the country;
3. "Retro Apartment" – an exposition reproducing daily life from the city's early years.

16:00 – 16:45 Brigade meeting in front of the Historical Museum.

16:45 – 17:30 Procession to the Monument to the First Builders and unveiling of a memorial plaque.

18:00 Official dinner with a program and a socialist retro menu "Retro Covert" at the "Slavyani" restaurant.

Additionally, the Bulgarian National Television will broadcast a repeat of the show "With BNT Forever", dedicated to the brigade movement, on BNT 2 on July 8, 2026, at 8:00 PM and on July 9 at 11:45 PM, as well as on BNT 4 on July 12 at 2:30 PM.

Initiative committee:
Nikolay Yanev – Dimitrovgrad Municipality
Pencho Zulchev – Commander of the Central Brigade Headquarters
Valentin Petkov – Commander of the Central Brigade Headquarters
Gospodin Georgiev – Dimitrovgrad Municipality